swellen

Low German

Etymology

From Old Saxon swellan, from Proto-Germanic *swellaną. Compare Dutch zwellen, English swell, German schwellen, Northern Sami svälla.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsvɛlən/, [ˈsvɛl̩n]

Verb

swellen

  1. (intransitive) to swell up; to bulge

Conjugation

Conjugation of swellen (class 3 strong verb)
infinitive swellen
present preterite
1st person singular swell swull
2nd person singular swells(t) swulls(t)
3rd person singular swell(t) swull
plural swellt, swellen swullen
imperative
singular swell
plural swellt
present past
participle swellen (e)swullen, geswullen

Note: This conjugation is one of many.
Neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Derived terms

  • afswellen
  • answellen
  • toswellen
  • Swellen

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *swellan, from Proto-Germanic *swellaną.

Verb

swellen

  1. to swell

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

  • Dutch: zwellen
  • Limburgish: zwèlle

Further reading

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English swellan, from Proto-West Germanic *swellan, from Proto-Germanic *swellaną.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈswɛlən/

Verb

swellen

  1. To swell; to grow or become bigger or stronger:
    1. To become overweight or chubby.
    2. To display visible signs of pregnancy.
    3. (medicine) To become swollen due to illness or injury.
    4. To become distended or excrescent.
  2. To experience intense emotions:
    1. To become prideful or vain.
    2. (rare) To become distressed, worried, or concerned.
  3. To rise, to go above its previous position.
  4. (euphemistic) To become gassy or windy.
  5. (rare, euphemistic) To become aroused.
  6. (rare) To enliven; to make more lively.

Conjugation

Conjugation of swellen (strong class 3 or weak in -ed)
infinitive (to) swellen, swelle
present tense past tense
1st-person singular swelle swal, swelled
2nd-person singular swellest swolle, swal, swelledest
3rd-person singular swelleth swal, swelled
subjunctive singular swelle swolle1, swelled1
imperative singular
plural2 swellen, swelle swollen, swolle, swelleden, swellede
imperative plural swelleth, swelle
participles swellynge, swellende swollen, swolle, swelled, yswolle

1 Replaced by the indicative in later Middle English.
2 Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

References

West Frisian

Noun

swellen

  1. plural of swel